I wanted to take the time to clear up the misrepresentation of events in support of our clean-up and recovery efforts. Financial Services and tourism are the twin pillars of the Virgin Islands’ economy. Our financial services sector accounts for 70 cents of every dollar of our GDP. It is how Government makes an income to pay civil servants, our law enforcement officers and our teachers. It is how Government can support the provision of services such as electricity, garbage collection, roadworks, health services and importantly, education.

The Government of the British Virgin Islands was faced with accommodating close to 300 persons in emergency shelters following the devastation left as a result of the passage of Hurricane Irma, followed by the impact of Hurricane Maria two weeks later.

As you just saw in the video clip, in a span of just six weeks the combined impact of a tropical wave, Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria devastated the BVI. I will say a little more about this shortly